Introduction to Philadelphia

Introduction to Philadelphia

Modern-day Alasehir, Turkey was originally named Philadelphia, "city of brotherly love."

Philadelphia/Alesehir is located approximately 80 miles east of Smyrna/Izmir and 26 miles southwest of Sardis. It stands on the Cogamis River, a tributary of the Hermus river.

History

Philadelphia was founded in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of Pergamum (197-160 BC), who named the city for the love of his brother who would be his successor, Attalus II (159-138 BC).

See commentary on Seven Churches of Asia. Philadelphia was built by Attalus Philadelphus, king of Pergamum (died 138 BC) from which it derives its name.

Lacking an heir, Pergamum King Attalus III Philometer bequeathed his kingdom, including Philadelphia, to his Roman allies when he died in 133 BC. Rome set up the province of Asia in 129 BC by combining Ionia and the former Kingdom of Pergamum.

The ancient city of Philadelphia had several temples. Like nearby Sardis, it was hit with a devastating earthquake in 17 AD; the city was rebuilt with the help of Emperor Tiberius.

Ancient Philadelphia was the sixth of the Seven Churches of Revelation (written around 100 AD). In Revelation 3:12, the believer who overcomes is compared to a pillar in the temple of God.

Philadelphia, so called from its founder, Attalus Philadelphus, still exists in the town called Allah-shear, “the city of God.” . . . The number of houses is said to be about 3000, of which 250 are Greek, the rest Turkish; and the Christians have twenty-five places of worship, five of them large and regular churches, a resident bishop, and twenty inferior clergy.

Revelation 3:7

Revelation 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: 'The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.

THE WORDS OF THE HOLY ONE

Here again we see the Trinity of Christ in the application of a title by the Son which is uniquely the Father’s.

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born^[1] will be called holy--the Son of God.

THE TRUE ONE

Another attribute of the Trinity: God cannot lie (Num. Num. 23:19; Rom. Rom. 3:4; Heb. Heb. 6:18; Tit. Tit. 1:2). Jesus tells the Laodiceans that His witness is faithful and true (Rev. Rev. 3:14) what He says is undeniable in its accuracy. Because He Himself is true, His “words will by no means pass away” (Mtt. Mat. 24:35).

Numbers 23:19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Romans 3:4 By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, "That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged."

WHO HAS THE KEY OF DAVID, WHO OPENS AND NO ONE WILL SHUT, WHO SHUTS AND NO ONE OPENS.

The key indicates the governmental authority of David.

The key of David was laid on the shoulder of Eliakim who acted as prime minister and who determined who would be allowed to see King Hezekiah. He also would make decisions only the king could overthrow. His was a position of great authority and trust:

Isaiah 22:21 and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

Isaiah 22:22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.

This key was properly handled by the king (Rev. Rev. 3:7+), and therefore by the “house-mayor” only in his stead. The power of the keys consisted not only in the supervision of the royal chambers, but also in the decision who was and who was not to be received into the king’s service.

 There is a resemblance, therefore, to the giving of the keys of the kingdom of heaven to Peter under the New Testament. But there the “binding” and “loosing” introduce another figure, though one similar in sense; whereas here, in the “opening” and “shutting,” the figure of the key is retained.⁶

         And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

        And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Job 12:14 If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open.

shuts and no one opens

while presently shutting and no one is presently opening”. He is actively shutting things which are to remain shut. Men must respond while the door is held open by God for once it is shut, there is no recourse for entry:

Example 1:

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. (Mtt. Mat. 25:10-12)

Matthew 25:10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

Matthew 25:11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.'

Matthew 25:12 But he answered, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

uiWhen once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know you, where you are from.’ (Luke Luke 13:25)

Example 2

Matthew 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'

Matthew 7:23 And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'

For whom the door will be open ?

Matthew 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.